Self Control In The Tempest

In the classic play The Tempest, by William Shakespeare, the people he thought he could trust conspire against Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, and send him out into the ocean with his three-year-old daughter hoping that they will die. He has been on a magical island for twelve years with his fifteen year old daughter, Miranda, practicing his magic with the help of his spirit Ariel. Prospero uses his magic to create a storm and get the men on the island to confront them about their conspiracy against him. Shakespeare demonstrates the idea of self-control and chastity in this play through the characters. In The Tempest, Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo are prime examples of one with absolutely no self-control. In the beginning of the play …show more content…
After Prospero asks Ariel if all the men are safe he responds with, “Not a hair perished. On their sustaining garments not a blemish, but fresher than before. And, as thou badest me, in troops I have dispersed them 'bout the isle. The king’s son have I landed by himself, whom I left cooling of the air with sighs in an odd angle of the isle, and sitting, his arms in this sad knot”(I. Ii. 218-225). When he creates the storm he could have killed the men for what they did to him but instead he makes sure they stay safe and teaches them a lesson. He shows very good self-control with this incident. He also could have done the same thing to Alonso, Sebastian and Antonio that they did to him and just leave them on the island by themselves. He could have killed Caliban when he tried to rape Miranda but he decided to show him mercy and just make him their slave. He gives mercy to all the people who have committed wrongdoings to him when he could easily punish them. Prospero talks to Ferdinand and Miranda about keeping their self-control. Prospero says to Ferdinand, “Look thou be true. Do not give dalliance too much the rein. The strongest oaths are straw to th' fire i' th' blood. Be more abstemious, or else, goodnight your vow”(IV. i. 51-53). Shakespeare shows hoe important self-control is through Prospero in this play. The theme of self-control and chastity in this Shakespeare play is very evident. He demonstrates the good and bad in self-control through the use of the various characters in the play. Prospero uses his magic to create a storm and get the men on the island to confront them about their conspiracy against him. Shakespeare demonstrates the idea of self-control and chastity in this play through the